Don Miguel Ruiz, Author of the Four Agreements, tells us “Be impeccable with your word…because words are magic.” No matter how small a thing you tell someone, it may affect them for the rest of their lives. And that is how sometimes mentors inspire us. They perform “white magic” with their kind words.
There is always someone in our lives (besides our parents), who give us that extra nudge to follow our dreams. Someone, that with their kind words, encourages us and sometimes shows us things about ourselves we had not even noticed.
Kate Small, one of my creative writing teachers at SFSU, was that person for me. When she read my short stories, she told me I was doing something special.
Kate told me I had to keep writing no matter what. She was so excited about every assignment I’d turn in, she used to often read it out loud in class.
I don’t know if she was trying to be kind, or nice to me, but the end result was the same…I believed it.
Her enthusiasm kept me writing, and even years later I still remember her words. It must be true that words…are magic.
I’m not sure whatever happened to her. I’ve tried looking for her several times and never really made a substantial connection. The last thing I know about Kate Small was that she had moved to Oregon and had written a novel called “The Gap in the Letter C.”
But wherever she is…I want to thank her. Thank her for being one of the “good witches” in my life who performed a little white magic on me.
Who is your mentor and why? I would love to hear from my readers!
